Ending several days of speculation about the make-up of the State Fish and Game Commission in advance of a key vote on the Marine Life Protection Act, Gov. Schwarzenegger today appointed Donald Benninghoven, 76, of Santa Barbara to replace Cindy Gustafson, who resigned suddenly on Friday. Conservation advocates were particularly concerned about the sudden departure of Gustafson because it left the commission with an apparent 2-2 deadlock in advance of a key vote tomorrow on Marine Life Protection Act designations for the North Central Coast. Conservation groups had supported the appointment of Benninghoven, a Republican, to the post. The official announcement from the Governor's office is below the fold:

Donald Benninghoven, 76, of Santa Barbara, has been appointed to the Fish and Game Commission. Prior to retiring, he served as executive director and member of the board for the City-County-School Partnership from 1998 to 2000, a cooperative venture of the California State Association of Counties, the California School Boards Association and the League of California Cities. Prior to that, from 1958 to 1998, Benninghoven held several positions at the League of California Cities including executive director. He served on the Marine Life Protection Act Blue Ribbon Task Force from 2007 to 2009. Benninghoven also previously served as secretary for the City-County-School Partnership, chairman of the California Center for Civic Renewal and a member of the Institute for Local Self Government Executive Committee. In addition, he was a member on the Governor’s Commission on Transportation Financing, vice chair of the California State Constitution Revision Commission and member on the Governor’s Commission on Local Government Financing. Benninghoven is a member of the California Game Wardens Foundation and is a lifelong outdoorsman, fisherman and hunter. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Benninghoven is a Republican.